Congressman’s Farm Tour Visits Three Rivers Ag/Forestry Lab

The biggest classroom laboratory in the Three Rivers College system is a 108-acre farm in Ripley County just west of Fairdealing.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith learned first-hand Thursday, Aug. 29, making the college farm a stop on his annual farm tour in the Eighth Congressional District.

Many passers-by may know the farm as the home of the Three Rivers Raiders intercollegiate rodeo team with a lighted and regulation-sized rodeo arena visible from U.S. Highway 160. But it’s also a working lab for other programs in the college’s agriculture and forestry department, said Dr. Wesley Payne, college president.

U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (center) is presented a Three Rivers Raiders rodeo team cap during his visit to the college’s agriculture/forestry lab Thursday near Fairdealing. From left are Amanda Phipps, rodeo coach for Central Methodist University, Dr. Melissa Davis, Three Rivers department chair for communications, agriculture, languages, and fine arts, Chad Phipps, TRC rodeo coach, Rep. Smith, TRC president Dr. Wesley Payne and State Rep. Jeff Shawan.

Three Rivers obtained the farm a few years ago following the death of its owner Lawrence Fagan, a well-known cattle man and thoroughbred and quarter horse breeder.

Three Rivers College is one of only two two-year schools in Missouri to offer a competitive rodeo program.

Rodeo coach Chad Phipps and his wife, Amanda, who is coach for the Central Methodist University rodeo team through a partnership with Three Rivers College.

While it was the rodeo program that first attracted the college into obtaining the farm, other ag and forestry programs are benefitting as well.

“This is a live lab, which is something that no two-year college anywhere has,” Dr. Payne said.

Smith said visits on his farm tour are showing results in affecting decisions at the federal level.

“Thankfully, President Trump is committed to rolling back intrusive federal level regulations,” Smith said. “I have had the opporutnity to speak with him about deregulation, and the first three years of his administration have been a blessing for hardworking Missourians.”